Trial Cultivation Method for Phalaenopsis Using Peat Soil

The Phalaenopsis orchids sold on the market are all potted in plastic pots and grown in sphagnum moss. I have bought several pots over time and placed them on the balcony to grow, but they all died from root rot. In the spring of 2003, I took the 3 remaining Phalaenopsis orchids out of their plastic pots, removed the rotted roots, and planted them in porcelain pots, using peat soil as the growing medium. Within just over two months of planting, I noticed new leaves sprouting from the crown of the Phalaenopsis. I have been growing Phalaenopsis with peat soil as the medium for nearly 4 years now, and they have always grown very well, blooming year after year.

You can choose peat soil that contains some fibrous material, break the soil clumps into a coarse powder, and spread it under blazing sun for 5-7 days. Mix 1 part river sand with 4 parts peat soil thoroughly and set aside. Before potting, spray water evenly over the dry peat soil to moisten it; the right moisture level is when it holds together in your hand when squeezed but falls apart at a touch. Cover the drainage hole at the bottom of the pot with a small piece of broken pottery, first add about two centimeters of clean coarse river sand, and then add a layer of peat soil. The root tips of the Phalaenopsis should be planted so they just come into contact with the peat soil placed at the bottom of the pot. Then add the mixed peat soil while gently shaking the pot from time to time, so that the peat soil and orchid roots combine and secure well. After potting, water thoroughly once, place on the balcony for routine cultivation and care, and water again when the surface of the potting soil turns white. If there is standing water in the saucer under the pot, be sure to pour it out completely. If the potting soil becomes compacted, loosen it with a hard object such as a bamboo stick.